German Shepherd Husky mixes are becoming increasingly popular designer dogs. Breeders pair two stubborn but intelligent, energetic, protective dog breeds together, creating a dog that could give you trouble training. While this dog breed is insanely smart and loyal, you might hear that training them can become a challenge.
German Shepherd Husky mixes (Shepskies) are not the easiest dog to train for first-time dog owners. These vibrant and energetic dogs need their handlers to dedicate a lot of time, resources, and patience to training.
Below we are breaking down everything you need to know about training a German Shepherd Husky mix. These tools and resources will help guide you to success when dealing with this hybrid breed.
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- How Smart Are German Shepherd Husky Mixes?
- Are German Shepherd Husky Mixes Easy to Train?
- Are German Shepherd Husky Mixes Good with Cats?
- How Cold is Too Cold for a German Shepherd Husky Mix?
- Can Shepskies Live Outside by Themselves?
- Can a Shepsky Live in an Apartment?
- What is the Lifespan of a German Shepherd Husky Mix?
- How Much Does a German Shepherd Husky Mix Cost?
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What to expect from a German Shepherd Husky mix ( Gerberian Shepsky)?
For those that are new to the Gerberian Shepsky (or Shepsky in short), this is a medium to large mixed breed that stems from the German Shepherd and Siberian Husky. They are larger than the average German Shepherd and do inherit this breed’s loyal, and focused demeanor.
This mixed breed is affectionately coined as a hybrid of two of the most popular dog breeds and two very close relatives of the wolf.
Just like the GSD, the Shepsky is well-known for being an energetic and extremely intelligent dog that has the potential to be an extraordinary family pet if they are socialized and trained properly.
They are easy to train and can be a perfect pet dogs for families with children.
Also read: What to Expect from a German Shepherd Husky Mix (Gerberian Shepsky)?
What type of basic training does a German Shepherd Husky mix need?
Some dog breeds can get by with minimal training but not a German Shepherd Husky Mix. But there are certainly some very basic training you cannot go without to start, and they are:
Basic obedience training: Starting with basic obedience training will be beneficial since it’s the foundation of a lot of other training activities.
Recall training: This will be one of the most critical training steps since your dog will have a high prey drive and attempt to chase other animals.
Leash training: These dogs are strong, so proper leash training and walking will be necessary so you don’t get pulled into the street.
Check out how well Shepsky can behave and follow commands in this video:
Early socializing is important for training German Shepherd Husky mix
Socializing your German Shepherd Husky mix early on will become key to any further training you might need. This mixed breed typically takes longer to warm up to other people and pets, making it difficult to bring them into situations with crowds.
When training your German Shepherd Husky mix, you must take advantage of strangers, dogs, and distractions to form a stronger bond with your dog.
If the dog isn’t accustomed to being around strangers, it will make training them a lot more complicated. Socialization will also make taking your dog to the vet, dog park, or training facilities easier.
Managing the prey drive of your German Shepherd Husky mix
German Shepherds and Huskies both have a potentially high prey drive. And when you mix them, you get a larger prey drive. Thus, training your Shepsky to manage its prey drive is essential.
Early socialization will help with managing their prey drive. Allowing them to meet new dogs and people while watching you interact with them can help them learn what is expected of them. It is an important step to teach them who is a friend and who isn’t.
Your German Shepherd Husky mix will take cues from you and learn the difference between a threat and a non-threat based on how you act. Teaching your dog that a neighbor’s cat is not prey will be an essential training task with a German Shepherd Husky mix.
What important commands does your German Shepherd Husky mix need to know?
Basic obedience training will become your best friend with your German Shepherd Husky mix. Important commands like sit, stay, and leave it will help in numerous situations your dog could get put in.
Here are a few basic and important commands every dog should know:
Sit: When your dog’s bottom touches the ground.
Stay: When you place your dog in a sit or down and they don’t move.
Come: Get your dog to come when called.
Leave it: When your dog leaves whatever is peeking it’s interesting.
It’s important to remember that it will take a lot of time and repetition for your dog to master these commands. While it might get tiring and frustrating, don’t give up on your dog.
Training your Shepsky with positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is the best way to train your German Shepherd Husky mix.
Accordingly to the Humane Society, positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful tools you can use to shape and change your dog’s behavior.
Find what your dog loves and use it as a reward. You want to keep your training to short increments and sentences they will understand. A sentence like “Fido sit!” is all you need for training.
The moment your dog does the command you’re asking for is when you use your positive reinforcement to reward them. Consistency is vital for your German Shepherd Husky mix to be successful and not confused.
How training can help with your German Shepherd Husky mix energy levels
German Shepherd Husky mixes are naturally high-energy dogs. This means you need to provide it with an ample amount of activities and training to maintain that energy.
Using training and breaking the training up into small segments will help burn off that energy throughout the day.
By using playtime as a time to also train your German Shepherd Husky mix, you’re allowing your dog to move and use energy but also taking advantage of an extraordinary situation. Use games like fetch, tug-of-war, or even a snuffle mat to help get rid of energy. This will help your dog become easier to train, socialize, and be tired by the end of the night.
Why training a German Shepherd Husky can be challenging?
A German Shepherd Husky mix is an intelligent dog, and with that comes a dog that will love to challenge everything you do. Don’t be surprised if your German Shepherd Husky bluntly ignores your commands and does as it pleases. You can put all the time and work into training your dog, and you still might need to call in reinforcements.
When dealing with a hard-headed dog, the key is to break it down into pieces.
Shortening your training sessions and allowing the dog more play time to work out its energy might be the key to success. Also, calling in professional training might help relieve the tension you’re feeling when training a hard-headed dog.
What does success in training your German Shepherd Husky look like?
As a dog owner, you may wonder what success looks like when training your German Shepherd Husky mix. According to Mainedogtraing.com, you need to know your dog’s learning speed, how they learn, and their motivations. Similar to people, your dog is its own individual self and will learn in its own way.
When it comes to success, there are a few things you want to look for.
- Duration: How long can your dog hold the command you ask? This will take a lot of time and work with continual repetitions. One day your dog will stay down until you ask it to come up.
- Distance: How far can you walk away while your dog holds the command? Your distance will need to be built with time.
- Distraction: How many different environments and distractions can your dog work reliably through without issue? This will take time, socialization and patience.
The longer you can do the above steps, the more successful your dog will be at the training you’ve been working on. Remember, this won’t happen overnight. It will take countless hours and days for your dog to master your training.
Tools to help train your German Shepherd Husky mix
Investing in training tools to help yourself successfully train your German Shepherd Husky mix is important. The below items are all critical to ensuring you can train your dog efficiently. These are some tools you should have.
Clickers are often used to mark desired behaviors with your dog.
Target sticks can be used to help teach a dog to walk nicely on a leash and used for tricks.
Treats are an integral part of your training. And it is used with positive reinforcement and to reward your dog for the desired behavior.
A portable mat is a great place to train your dog to settle and be a safe spot to relax.
Conclusion
German Shepherd Husky mixes can be easy to train. At times, these dogs will love to challenge you. But with time and patience, training them will be a fun and rewarding experience.
